The Cuban government announced this Thursday the upcoming release of 51 prisoners, a decision it characterized as “sovereign” and framed within an agreement with the Vatican.
“The Government of Cuba has decided to release in the coming days 51 people sentenced to deprivation of liberty. All have served a significant portion of their sentence and have maintained good conduct in prison,” explained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) in a statement.
Cuba has previously released prisoners on several occasions, most recently in 2025, including individuals classified by various NGOs as political prisoners, often following agreements with the Vatican or with the Holy See’s mediation.
These releases are not pardons, but rather a benefit allowing prisoners to depart the penitentiary center even if their sentence has not been extinguished, contingent on fulfilling certain requirements during the remaining time of the sentence.
Havana framed this decision within “the spirit of goodwill, of close and fluid relations between the Cuban state and the Vatican, with which it has historically maintained communication regarding the review and release of people deprived of liberty.”
The government added that this is a “sovereign” decision that constitutes “a habitual practice” in the Cuban penal justice system, which the Foreign Ministry characterized by its “humanitarian trajectory.”
The NGO Amnesty International (AI) criticized the “opacity” of the announcement, noting the absence of a list of beneficiaries or explanations regarding the terms of release. AI also pointed out that it was not specified whether those released would be “people deprived of liberty for political reasons.”
Amnesty International also denounced the leverage of prisoners “in a dehumanizing manner, as bargaining chips in a political game,” and insisted on the “immediate and unconditional” release of all people “unjustly imprisoned” in Cuba.
Visits to the Vatican
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez met on February 28 at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV, who had called for “dialogue” between Havana and Washington, and his Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Eight days prior, the U.S. Ambassador to Cuba, Mike Hammer, also visited Rome, meeting with the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher.
In January 2025, the Cuban government announced the gradual release of 553 people sentenced after an agreement between Havana and the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, with Vatican mediation.
In exchange, Washington removed the island from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a sanction with a significant financial impact on Cuba.
However, the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House abruptly ended that tentative rapprochement between the U.S. And Cuba. Washington re-included Havana on its blacklist shortly after the Republican took office.
Cuba, however, continued with the release, which concluded in March 2025. Approximately half of those released were political prisoners, according to records kept by several human rights NGOs at the time.
According to the NGO Prisoners Defenders, at the end of February, their registry of political prisoners in Cuba totaled 1,214 people, a historical high, seven more than the previous month.
The announcement of this release comes at a critical time for the island. Washington has been pressing the Cuban government for change for months and has imposed an oil siege that is strangling the country.
The measure, which the UN has qualified as contrary to international law, has brought the country’s chronic power outages to a maximum and paralyzed the already battered national economy after six years of severe economic crisis.
Following interventions by the U.S. In Venezuela, with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and in Iran, with the intense bombing and death of its main leaders, pressure has increased on Cuba, which the Trump administration points to as the next target.
For weeks, Trump has asserted that contacts are being made between his administration and Cuban representatives. The Cuban government, which for weeks denied that there were negotiations, has stopped denying them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nature of the prisoner releases announced by Cuba?
The releases are not pardons, but a benefit allowing prisoners to leave the penitentiary center before their sentence is fully served, contingent on good conduct and fulfilling certain requirements.
What role did the Vatican play in this decision?
The Cuban government framed the decision as part of a spirit of goodwill and close relations with the Vatican, with whom it has historically communicated regarding prisoner review and release processes.
Has the U.S. Government been involved in recent prisoner releases from Cuba?
In January 2025, the Cuban government announced the release of 553 prisoners following an agreement with the outgoing Biden administration, with the Vatican acting as a mediator. However, this rapprochement was reversed after Donald Trump took office.
Given the complex geopolitical landscape, what impact might these releases have on future relations between Cuba, the United States, and the Vatican?
